Arthur rearranges Mass. candidates’ campaign plans

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July 4th weekend is a busy time for candidates seeking office, but the weather seems to be crimping their campaign style.

With Hurricane Arthur threatening to drench the region this weekend, parades and firework spectaculars have been pushed up, postponed, or canceled. That means the built-in bevy of hands to shake and babies to kiss have been pushed up, postponed and canceled too.

State Treasurer Steve Grossman’s campaign has let people know that weather has fouled the Democratic candidate for governor’s campaign schedule this weekend.

“Due to severe weather, Fourth of July parades in Plymouth and Hyannis have been canceled or postponed. Treasurer Grossman has no public events scheduled,” the campaign said.

Jeff McCormick’s campaign put a slightly more hopeful spin on the uncertainty that has become the independent candidate for governor’s weekend on the stump.

“This weekend Jeff and the campaign team will be out in numbers marching in parades and attending Independence Day events across the state,” it said -- quickly adding, “Due to impending weather, the exact schedule is still being determined.”

Attorney General Martha Coakley was supposed to march in the same parades as Grossman, her fellow Democratic opponent for governor. And that’s not happening now, though the campaign said it is working on “possible other plans.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Don Berwick’s campaign is currently in reschedule-mode as Bridgewater and Newton festivals, which he was planning to attend, have been pushed back and canceled. But Sudbury’s parade will proceed, and the campaign said so too shall Berwick, who plans on marching.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker’s campaign sent out an advisory letting people know that he will march in Norwood’s Fourth of July Parade Friday night at 5:45 p.m. But he won’t be at parades in Plymouth and Duxbury, where the events have been pushed back and canceled respectively.

Baker would have been there rain or shine though, according to his campaign.

Evan Falchuk’s camp did an intricate reshuffle, moving people, including his running-mate Angus Jennings, from one planned location to the next, from one day to the next.

The domino effect of cancelations and postponements means Falchuk, an independent candidate for governor running under the newly-minted political designation, United Independent Party, will be at the Chelmsford Parade Friday and Duxbury – if it’s rescheduled – on Saturday.

Arthur, it seems, is determined to mess with big barbecues, parades, and candidates eager to meet voters.